INSIDE BASEBALL.

Astros' Owner Denies Slurring Hispanics

Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane cut short his vacation Friday to deny telling two TV executives his team doesn't market to Hispanics because baseball is too complex for them to understand.

Marco Camacho, vice president and general manager of KTMD-TV, and KTMD sales manager Rod Rodriguez said McLane made derogatory remarks about Hispanics before a dinner honoring him with the Houston Advertising Federation's Trailblazer Award for community service.

"We asked him why he doesn't market toward Hispanics," Camacho said. "He said it was hard to reach Hispanics because the game of baseball is . . . complicated and that's why more Hispanics don't go to Astros games."

Camacho added that McLane said baseball is a game of statistics and numbers "and people like to follow baseball in the newspapers and Hispanics don't read newspapers and when Hispanics do go, they buy the cheap $2 seats."

The Astros released a statement in which McLane described himself as "angry and outraged" about the accusations. McLane then ended his South Texas vacation to face reporters in Houston.

"I thought it was important to be here and correct a statement that was not true and that has been manipulated," he said. "I feel badly that this has been taken so much out of context."

Camacho, whose station aired a report on the alleged offending remarks Thursday night, attended the McLane news conference and said KTMD stands by its story.

Getting around: Former major-leaguer Carlos Baerga, who has been trying to earn a promotion from the Cincinnati Reds' farm system, was released so he could sign a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres.

Baerga, 30, had been playing with the Reds' Class AAA team, the Indianapolis Indians.

Say it's not so: A new line of collector Barbie dolls will wear the home uniforms of the Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees.

"Major League Baseball Barbie" will hit store shelves by mid-June, said Nancy Zwiers, senior vice president of Barbie Collectibles at Mattel Inc.

The Devil, you say: The Tampa Bay Devil Rays didn't want to spend all summer negotiating with Josh Hamilton. They offered him a $3.65 million signing bonus and the No. 1 pick accepted two days after the draft.

The signing bonus is the largest given to drafted amateur player who signed with the team that selected him.

Mud in your eye: Veterans Stadium concessions operators have been cited for allegedly serving beer to a minor, an offense that could result in the Philadelphia venue used by the Phillies and Eagles being fined or even losing its liquor license for a year.

The state Liquor Control Board cited Veterans Stadium Associates for serving beer to a 17-year-old during the Phillies' April 12 season opener.

Myers surgery: San Diego reliever Randy Myers underwent surgery to repair a rotator-cuff injury in his left shoulder. Myers, 37, could miss the rest of the season.

Portugal stays: Boston pitcher Mark Portugal, who strongly considered retirement so he could spend more time with his three children, said he decided on his way to Fenway Park to remain with the Red Sox.